Nodroz Origins: Sticks
by Dr.Billie
Summary: Lokelani Lyong becomes the first female Red Ranger and the Red Lord's right hand Lady. Join her on her first day at AG High, her first glimpse of her future love and as she makes some new friends in this tiny one shot. AU - OCs


**~*Nodroz Origins ~ Sticks*~**

**_Angel Grove, 2001_**

Lokelani Lyong exited the principal's office of Angel Grove High School with her two older brothers Noa and Keoni. They'd been getting their class schedules, locker numbers and lock combinations. Their parents had misestimated when school started, so they arrived a week in. Great. Though she felt a bit sorrier for her brothers. Noa was sophomore and Keoni was a senior, they had left behind friends, girlfriends and established high school connections. Lani, as she was preferred to be called, had finished junior high and even in her old town would have had to start fresh again in freshman year anyway.

With a grunt to her brothers, which could mean any number of things, she separated and sought out her locker. Lani was a not overly tall girl of Hawaiian and Korean descent. She had warm skin, long nearly black hair and dark brown eyes. She liked to think of herself as friendly and her style was eclectic, sort of skater-girl-rocker. She'd spent nearly all her life learning Tae Kwon Do and whatever other martial art struck her father's fancy, competing and winning trophies and medals. She rebelled a bit last year by taking up drumming. She still trained hard, but now she got to wind down by banging on her drums.

She finally found her locker and checked her paper for her combination. She was unloading her book bag, which contained notebooks, folders and binders, when a flash of red caught her eye. Frowning slightly, she glanced over and nearly gaped. A tall Asian looking kid held a sword in his hand. Well, it didn't really look like one unless you were familiar with weapons. It was a flawless, red metallic sheathed katana. The kid with the bush on his head was glancing around as he stuffed it in his locker.

She looked at him. Despite the unruly bush on his head and string bean physique he was rather good looking with dark eyes and a square jawed face that bespoke more of a Caucasian influence than truly Asian. He wore a white tee-shirt with flame graphics all over it. Even though he was beanpole, it hugged at his chest and shoulders slightly and his arms appeared hard and toned, like someone who was no stranger to working out or physical labor.

"Tai!"

Lani jumped slightly and turned away when he turned toward the voice that obviously called his name. Oh geeze, she hoped no one saw her gawking like an idiot. She peeked up and saw him close his locker and tote several books over to a boy with stylish black hair and a black hoodie who had his arm around some cute brunette's shoulders. Another girl, this one a cute blond, was with them. The four of them walked off down the hall and Lani sighed.

What was she doing ogling some guy anyway? As if between her dad and three overbearing brothers she'd get to date in peace.

"Hey, nice sticks."

Lani turned with a scowl. "Beg pardon?" she demanded. A lean white guy wearing tight pants, a baggy band shirt and a studded belt was grinning at her. His feet were incased in hi-top Reboks with neon pink laces. He had black hair with bangs that fell over bright blue eyes. He was giving her an amused grin.

"Your sticks," he said again and pointed at the drum sticks she'd forgotten were in her baggy pants pocket.

She blushed and grabbed them. "Er...thanks," she murmured sheepishly. "For a moment there that was strangest come on I'd ever heard," she said with a grin of her own.

The guy laughed. "Don't worry. You're not my type," he said and gave her a wink with the eye she could see clearly.

Lani raised her brows. "Should I be offended?" she asked.

He chuckled. "Nah. You're cute and all just a bit too...female," he said, as if assuring himself that was the right word.

Lani nodded. "I see. I'm Lani. Lokelani Lyong," she said and held out a hand.

He took her hand. "Nathan Doyle. So, those sticks. Just for show or can you use them?" he asked seriously.

"I do a pretty decent job of annoying parents and older brothers," she declared, grinning again.

Nathan chuckled. "That's the best, huh? Here," he pulled a folded flier out of his pocket. "I'm trying to start a band. I already have a couple of people interested, but we need a drummer. Aside from Wood, my friends aren't really the musical types," he explained. He pulled a pink sharpie out of another pocket and scribbled his number on it. He handed her the flier.

She looked at it with a grin. "Awesome. I'll call you after school then to schedule a try out?" she asked.

Nathan nodded. "That'd be awesome. Check you later. If I don't get to class before the bell rings, Billie'll have my head," he said and gave her wave. "Welcome to Angel Grove," he added and began to jog down the hall.

Lani watched him go with a laugh. She looked at the flier again. It was just a computer generated flier proclaiming the search for band mates. Maybe this move wouldn't be too bad after all.

After she finished with her locker, she followed the map she was given to her first class. She found a seat just as the bell rang. A cute Latina grinned from beside her. "Hi!" she said in a whisper. "You're new here, too? Awesome. I'm Manny," she said in a whisper, her voice faintly accented.

Lani grinned. "I'm Lani," she whispered back.

"Awesome! We're going to be friends," the girl declared with such surety Lani had to agree with her.

Her mood was so good that even the boring class couldn't squelch it. Yes, coming to Angel Grove was probably the best thing that ever happened to her.

**~*End*~**


End file.
